There are many different tools used to aid in divination. Some of the most common tools are tarot cards, oracle cards, runes, and pendulums. If you have read previous articles published on this site, you already know a bit about tarot as a divination tool. In this article, we will focus on and give you a better understanding of the pendulum. Future articles that we are looking forward to sharing with you will focus on runes, oracle cards, and many other divination tools! 

In the simplest terms, a pendulum is a weight suspended from a string or chain so that it can swing freely. When pulled to one side, the pendulum is subject to gravity. It will fall and swing the other way until the cycle or expelled energy is no more, and the pendulum will remain vertical until there is energy spur movement again. Though pendulums have many different uses, the use that most people recognize is their use within clocks, particularly the grandfather or grandmother clocks.

Pendulums, as discussed in this article, can be made of many different materials. Some of the materials include: crystals, wood, metal, and glass. The reason why we see and can make pendulums from various materials is due to the fact that different materials may be better suited for different purposes. For example, some types of crystals may be better suited for healing than others. As such, if your focus for the reading is healing, you generally would want to use a crystal with healing properties. 

Now that we have established what a pendulum is, let’s talk a bit about their use within the pagan, occult, and fortune-telling community. The pendulum can and has been used to answer yes or no questions for a good number of years. It is important to note that how exactly it is used depends on the person using it. Some that use pendulums, use a grid they have purchased, while others may make their a grid with a simple piece of paper and a pen. Other diviners may choose to use nothing, they simply denote which position (side to side or up and down) would be yes and which would be no. After it is determined which method will be used to define yes and no, the person using the pendulum will hold it from it’s end without the weight (some pendulums have small balls on the end designed for holding to help with grip), once the pendulum is held, the person (using the thumb and pointing finger to hold) should place their elbow on a flat, sturdy service to prevent unintentional movement of the hand. One should take care to ensure that the pendulum is not swinging before asking a yes or no question. After the question is asked, one should then focus on the question asked until the pendulum begins to move. If the pendulum moves in the predetermined parameter for yes, then the response to the question would be yes. Conversely, if it moves the opposing way, then the answer would be no.

Pendulums, as previously stated, can be used in many ways (aside from answering yes or no questions). Other uses for a pendulum include meditation and hypnosis. For either of these uses, a pendulum can be used for oneself or for someone else. When used for oneself, one would simply watch the swinging pendulum as it moves back and forth until an altered state or meditative state is reached. If one is using the pendulum for someone else, then one would swing the pendulum back and forth having the other person watch as it swings. The person swinging the pendulum may wish to give instructions or guide the person into a meditative or hypnotic state. Once this state has been reached the pendulum can then be used to bring the person back out of that state as well.

Pendulums can also be used for healing. Some healers use pendulums simply by looking at them, or having their patron look at it as it spins or sways back and forth. This can help remove energy blocks throughout the body. Other healers have their patron sit or lay down in a comfortable position and swing the pendulum over different areas of the patron’s body. This is done to remove energy blocks within the person’s body. These blocks can be a root cause of physical or mental pain. Often the healer will use different stones depending on the issue(s) being dealt with and/or the area(s) of the body being worked on. 

Now that we’ve discussed a bit about what a pendulum is and various uses, let us go into a bit more detail about how to use a pendulum. Whether using the pendulum to answer simple yes or no question, meditation, hypnosis, or healing, one should first clear the mind of any concerns, stressors, or anything one finds bothersome. This can be done through the use of breathing exercises, or simply breathing in and out a few times, to release the stress. Some may choose to take it a few steps further and use sage or other herbs to cleanse their area, followed by some deep breathing to assist in the release of stress, and perhaps an additional ritual that the individual may find beneficial to help clear the mind and cleanse the area. After a clear mind is achieved, if asking a simple question, one would then hold the pendulum over the grid (if one is using a grid). To hold the pendulum, place your arm on one side of the grid (if using a grid), hold the pendulum between the thumb and index finger, some may also choose to use the middle finger as well. Stand the arm upright over the grid with the elbow planted firmly on a table or stable surface. After which, you will hold your arm still and ensure that the pendulum is not moving (swaying back and forth). This is the time to ask the question you desire to have answered. Once the question is asked, wait for the pendulum to swing to indicate yes or no. This direction is indicated by the grid; however, it is a good idea to ask one or two questions you already know the answer to prior to the start of the reading session to check for accuracy. 

If one is using the pendulum for meditation or hypnosis, the initial step is still the same, the release of stress and cleansing the area. After this is completed, again one will hold the pendulum between the thumb and index finger. One may choose to place his or her elbow on a table, but it is not required when using a pendulum in this manner. One will then swing the pendulum in a back and forth motion, the person who will be placed under hypnosis or a meditative state will watch the pendulum move in the back and forth motion. It is important to remember that the speed in which the pendulum swings depends upon the practitioner. Some choose to swing at a constant slow motion, while others may choose to start slow, speed up throughout the process, and then slow back down towards the end. The practitioner may or may not speak throughout this process. The pendulum, in this instance, is used to put the person into and subsequently bring the person out of a hypnotic or meditative state. It is important to note that this is just one technique you may choose to use, and that there are also many other techniques available to a practitioner.

Using the Pendulum for healing, again, is different from the aforementioned uses, but the release of stress and the cleansing of one’s space is still ideal. When using the pendulum for healing, you will want the person receiving the healing to be in a comfortable position, either sitting or laying depending on where the issues are. Again, the practitioner will hold the pendulum between the thumb and index finger. The pendulum will then be swung over the person, focusing on the afflicted area, or areas. The practitioner will swing the pendulum in a circular motion to draw out residual or negative energy that may be causing the affliction(s). The energy within the person can then flow more fluidly, and the person will generally feel better when the energy block or build up is removed. Just to note, there are many different pendulums that can be used, some practitioners may choose to use pendulums made of different stones, metal or glass, depending on the situation or issue(s) being addressed.

Many find themselves wondering how the pendulum works. The answer to this depends greatly on who one asks. Most practitioners believe that the pendulum works by utilizing the energy of one’s higher self, or the energy from a greater source of power. However, there are practitioners that do believe pendulums work due to there being residual energy, which is defined as energy left behind from those that came before us. The energy acquired is then focused into the pendulum, and then the pendulum provides an answer to one’s question using the knowledge within the person’s higher self, or greater source of power, depending on one’s beliefs and practices.

In this article, we discussed the pendulum as a divination tool, as well as a few uses within the occult, pagan, and fortune-telling community, more specifically how they can be used for fortune-telling, meditation, hypnosis, or healing. Remember that pendulums can be made from many different materials, the choice in material being up to the practitioner, as that aspect can aid in a particular use. Using a pendulum can have many benefits, including: aiding in decision making and healing (both physical and non-physical issues). When considering using a pendulum, be sure to keep in mind that the use of a pendulum depends heavily on the practitioner using it.

~ Sara Lynn